I tend to keep simple and easy recipes for times when I’m short on time and low on energy. The recipes, which are carefully selected, are for impressive dishes. They tell the diner a story of long hours in the kitchen, when in fact they do not require much time at the stove. This time I will present four such dishes.
We’ll start with a side dish: Sweet potato. Halved sweet potatoes are placed face down on a baking tray on a base of olive oil and honey and then roasted. That’s it. The combination of honey, olive oil, and thyme creates a delicate caramelized crisp coating during baking. The result is soft, tender, beautifully browned, and very tasty sweet potatoes. Anyone can make this dish. When served at the table, it earns plenty of compliments.
The second option is a lighter and tastier version of potatoes. They are first boiled in water and then mashed after cooking. They are seasoned and then placed in the oven for roasting and browning, resulting in soft yet crispy potatoes with a gentle seasoning.
For the main dish, I chose one of my most popular recipes: Chicken and vegetable patties. I often prepare patties using ground beef, sometimes fish, and sometimes ground chicken thighs. In the past, when my family asked me not to fry the patties, I created this dish: I combined the patties with sliced vegetables, arranged in a spiral shape in a baking tray. I poured sauce over them and baked everything in the oven.
For dessert, I chose chocolate and vanilla cupcakes—beautiful individual cakes that bring joy both to the mouth and the eyes. I prepared a chocolate-based frosting, added chocolate chips, and decorated them with strawberries. You can skip making the frosting and settle for chocolate glaze or a light dusting of powdered sugar. I placed the cupcakes in simple paper liners inside a muffin tray. You can also use decorative molds that elegantly enhance the presentation.
Ultimately, we don’t always need to spend hours in the kitchen preparing complex dishes. We don’t need to exhaust ourselves; wonderful meals can be prepared in a short time.
Chocolate Strawberry Cupcakes
Ingredients (12–16 units):
For the batter:
200 g soft butter
1½ cups sugar
2 packets vanilla sugar
3 eggs
3 cups sifted self-rising flour
1 cup yogurt
2–3 tablespoons milk (as needed)
4 tablespoons chocolate chips
For chocolate ganache cream:
1 container heavy cream
200 g dark chocolate, broken into chunks
For decoration:
16–20 small strawberries
Preparation:
Beat the butter in an electric mixer on high speed. Gradually add the sugar and vanilla sugar. Mix for 2–3 minutes, then gradually add the eggs. Whisk until light and smooth.
Reduce the mixer speed and gradually add the flour and yogurt alternately. If the batter is too thick, add milk. Add the chocolate chips and fold into the batter.
Line a muffin tray with paper liners. Pour the batter into the liners, filling up to about three-quarters of each cup. Bake in a preheated medium oven (180°C) for 40–45 minutes. Remove and cool on a wire rack.
Ganache preparation:
Heat the cream in a small saucepan until just before boiling. Pour over the chopped chocolate and mix well until smooth and glossy. Refrigerate in a shallow container for about two hours. Transfer the cold ganache to a mixer bowl and whip until light and fluffy (be careful not to overwhip, as it may split).
Transfer the cream to a piping bag and pipe onto the cupcakes. Place a whole or sliced strawberry on top. Keep refrigerated until serving.
Difficulty level: Medium
Preparation time: About one hour
Type: Dairy
Mashed Roasted Potatoes
Ingredients (6–8 servings):
6–8 potatoes
1 tablespoon salt
¼–½ cup olive oil
Salt and coarse black pepper, to taste
Thyme leaves from 5–6 sprigs
Preparation:
Boil the potatoes with their skin in salted water for about 40 minutes until soft. Drain and gently crush them with your hand or a spoon. Line a baking tray with parchment paper and place the potatoes on it. Drizzle with olive oil, season with salt and pepper, and sprinkle thyme leaves. Bake in a preheated high oven (200°C) for 25–30 minutes until slightly golden and crispy. Serve hot.
Difficulty level: Easy
Preparation time: About one hour
Type: Vegan
Sweet Potatoes with Olive Oil and Thyme
Ingredients (6 servings):
3 medium sweet potatoes
3 tablespoons olive oil + extra for drizzling
1 tablespoon honey
Coarse salt, to taste
Black pepper, to taste
3–4 thyme sprigs
For serving:
Fresh thyme leaves or chopped cilantro
Preparation:
Wash and clean the sweet potatoes well. Cut them in half lengthwise. Score the cut side in a crisscross pattern.
Mix olive oil, honey, salt, pepper, and thyme in a small bowl. Brush the mixture over the sweet potatoes and pour the rest onto a parchment-lined baking tray. Place thyme sprigs on the tray and drizzle a little more olive oil over everything. Arrange the sweet potatoes on top with the skin side facing up.
Bake in a preheated high oven (200°C) for 20–30 minutes. If still slightly firm, lower the temperature to 180°C and bake for another 10–15 minutes, watching closely to avoid over-browning. Serve hot, topped with thyme or cilantro and a little coarse salt.
Difficulty level: Easy
Preparation time: About one hour
Type: Vegan
Chicken and Vegetable Patties
Ingredients (16–20 patties):
500 g ground chicken breast
1 large onion, very finely chopped
5 garlic cloves, minced
½ bunch parsley
½ bunch cilantro
10 dill sprigs
1 slice bread soaked in water and squeezed well
1 teaspoon harissa
1 tablespoon preserved lemon paste
1–2 tablespoons olive oil
1 egg
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon baking soda
Salt and black pepper, to taste
Vegetables:
1–2 sliced tomatoes
1–2 sliced zucchinis
2 basil sprigs
Sauce:
2 tablespoons oil
1 cup water
1 tablespoon minced garlic
Juice of ½ lemon
½ teaspoon sumac
½ teaspoon turmeric
½ teaspoon cumin
Salt and pepper, to taste
Preparation:
Mix all patty ingredients in a large bowl and knead well. Refrigerate for about 30 minutes.
Heat a grill pan over medium heat and lightly oil it with olive oil. Shape the mixture into patties about 7–8 cm in diameter or larger if desired. Grill for 2–3 minutes per side until browned. Repeat until all patties are cooked.
Arrange the patties in a round baking dish (26–28 cm) in a spiral pattern. Place tomato and zucchini slices between them, alternating with basil leaves. Mix all sauce ingredients in a bowl and pour over the patties and vegetables. Gently tilt the dish so the liquid spreads evenly.
Cover with parchment paper and then aluminum foil. Bake in a preheated medium-high oven for about 15 minutes. Remove the cover and bake for another 10 minutes until reduced, browned, and tender. Serve hot with rice.
Difficulty level: Medium
Preparation time: About one hour
Type: Meat dish